Stand for dress forms and the like



July 7,

1953 R. F. PALMER smun FOR DRESS FORMS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23, 1950 INVENTOR.

, Ral k F Hzlmer WITNESS Y I P ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1953 STAND FOR DRESS FORMS AND THE LIKE Ralph F. Palmer, Montclair, N. J assignor to The v Singer Manufacturing Company,

Elizabeth,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 23, 1950, Serial No. 145,801

Claims.

This invention-relates to; stands for dressforms and the like; and more particularly for dress-forms comprising hollow shells conforming to the contours of human models.

The invention has as its primary object to provide an improved stand facilitating the mounting thereupon of hollow dress-forms of Various shapes, sizes and proportions, and insuring a firm support for the dress-form mounted upon'the stand. More specifically, the invention aims to provide'a dress-form'stand requiring' a minimum of adjustment thereof to adapt thestand for use with hollow dress-forms ofdifferent sizes and postures.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a stand of this nature, simplified and improved means forindividually locking in their adjusted positions each of a plurality of, adjustable arms which engage the lower portion of the dressform and which hold the form against lateral movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide anzimproved neck-frame for the stand which will accommodate the entire range of neck sizes and which will automatically adapt itself .to the particular angle or inclination of the neck portion of each individual dress-form placed thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved neck-frame for the stand which is so shaped that it will facilitate the positioning thereaboutv of a dress-form having a substantially elliptically shaped waist portion whose minor axis maybe of substantially the same length as the diameter of the circular neck portion of the dress-form.

With the above and other objects in. view as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the'several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved stand, with a dress-form supported thereby shown in vertical. section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged. horizontal sectional view of the stand taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating in full and dotted lines the adjustment of the arms which engage the lower portion of the dress-form.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the mid-portion of the improved stand taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

' adjusted to its utmost position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 -4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectionalview taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and showing the lower portion of the standard.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the support plates disclosed in Figs. 2 and 5. p Fig. '7 man enlarged bottom view of the neckframe which is disclosed in Fig. 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a stand comprising a base 10, an upright standard H supported by the base, a dress-form supportin neck-frame l2 adjustably .mounted upon the upper end of the standard and a vertically and horizontally adjustable dress-form skirt support I3 to hold a dress-form F against lateral movement.

The base comprises a substantially cylindrical hub member l4, preferably of solid metal. This hub member is adapted to support the lower end of an outer tubular member 15 of the standard H and the opposite end portions of three bent metal legs each of which is designated by the numeral It. The tubular member [5 and the three legs l6 may be secured to the hub I4 in any uitable manner. Due'to the weight of the hub M and its location at the bottom of the standard and close to the axis thereof, together with the substantial spread of the three legs IS, the entire stand is extremely stable, even when The standard II is made of including the above noted tubular member 15 and a rod 11 telescopically housed in the member l5- At its upper end the rod ll carries a ball 18 (see Figs. 1 and 7) upon which the neck-frame I2 is mounted for universal movement. The neck-frame is of generally truncated conical form and comprises upper, intermediate and lower wire loops each designated respectively by the numerals I9, 20 and 2|. These wire loops are united by four auxiliary wire loops each designated by the numeral 22. The auxiliary loops 22 may be secured to the upper. intermediate and lower loop members as by soldering or welding. 1A socket is provided for the ball l8 by two horizontally disposed wire loops 23 and 23 embraced and secured to the upper loop member I9 and extending substantially centrally thereacross. This particular form of socket construction is best disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 2,552,811, May 15, 1951..

As hereinabove set forth, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a dressiorm stand with a neck-frame which is adapted two major parts 3 to facilitate the placement thereabout of a dressform with a waist portion in the shape of an ellipse having major and minor axes which are respectively greater than and equal to the length of the diameter of the neck portion of the dressform. Also, such a neck-frame must be of a shape capable of supporting the dress-form in the area of the circular neck opening of the dressform. In this connection it is to be understood that the open neck portion of most dress forms is circular in shape and thus in order properly to support the form, the neck-frame should engage a substantial area of the dress-form proper.

However, at the same time, it has been found that the waist portion of most dress forms is elliptical in shape with the minor axis of the ellipse of a length which is no greater than the diameter of the dress-form neck opening. From this it will be readily appreciated that the usual tapered neck-frame would not permit such a dress-form to be slipped thereabout. In view of this situation the present invention contemplates the provision of a neck-frame which is of a shape calculated to permit the dress-form to be slipped thereover but at the same time designed in a manner such that it will properly support the neck portion of the dress-form.

More specifically, the present neck-frame has the form of a truncated cone which has been slabbed along a plane extending from a point tangential to the small upper circular portion thereof to a line defining a cord of the large lower circular portion thereof so as to permit passage about the neck-frame of a hollow dressform with a waist portion in the shape of an ellipse having major and minor axes which are respectively greater than and equal to the diameter length of the dress-form neck opening. Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 7, the upper wire loop I9 is circular in shape while each of the intermediate and lower wire loops and 2| is in the form of the letter D with its curved limb portion formed as an arc of a circle. It is to be noted that the circular limb portion of each of the wire loops 20 and 2| subtends at least 180. With this construction it will be clear that the neck-frame may pass through the waist portion of the dress-form but at the same time will be capable of properly supporting the neck aperture of the dress-form. In this latter connection it will be further understood that since the arcuate limb portions of each of the wire loops 26 and 21 is formed as an arc of a circle, the circular neck portions of the various size dress-forms will always engage each of the three auxiliary wire loops 22 which are carried by such arcuate portions.

The rod H is telescopically mounted in the tube l5 and the rod and the dress-form carried thereby may be adjusted vertically, at will, and maintained at any desired elevation. This is effected by a clamp device generally designated by the numeral 24, which clamp device comprises a sheet metal member generally C-shaped in vertical section and including upper and lower platform portions 25 and 26 respectively, and an intermediate portion 27, substantially U-shaped in cross section. The portions 25 and 26 are provided with apertures the upper of which is slidingly mounted upon the rod I! while the lower embraces the tube [5 and is suitably secured thereto as by welding or any other appropriate method.

The rod l1 and the dress-form F are normally held against vertical adjustment by a pair of clamping levers 2B and 29 apertured to receive the rod l1 and having their ends projecting through and fulcrumed in slots provided in the portion 2'? of the clamp member. The levers 28 and 29 are normally biased away from each other by a coil spring (not disclosed) located therebetween' and surrounding the rod- I1. Thus, the walls of the apertured clamp members 28 and 29 are caused to impinge on the rod l1 and prevent endwise movement of the rod relative to the tube [5. By pressing the levers 28 and 29 together in opposition to their common biasing spring, the levers are caused to free the rod [1, which, together with the dress-form, may then be adjusted vertically. For a more detailed description of this clamp member, reference may be had to my above noted copending patent application.

As hereinabove stated, the lower or skirt portion of the dress form F is adapted to be engaged by a device designated generally by the numeral 1-5 to hold the dress-form in the proper vertical position and prevent lateral movement thereof. This device comprises four horizontally disposed arms of which the arms designated by the numerals SI and 32 are disposed in spaced parallel relation with each other so as'to engage the inside of the dress-formfrom front to back The remaining two arms, designated by the numerals 33 and 34, are also disposed in spaced parallel relation with each other and they are adapted to engage the inside of the form from side to side. It is to be observed that the outer portion of each of the arms is curved as at 35 and carries thereon a rubber fender 36 which is adapted to engage the inner portion of the dress-form so as to prevent the scuiling of the latter by the arm portion itself. Improved means are provided for horizontally adjusting each of the arms individually and for adjusting all of the arms simultaneously in a vertical direction relative to therod H.

For properly supporting the above noted arms, the present invention contemplates the provision of a pair of similarly shaped supporting plates which are respectively designated by the numerals 3'! and 38. Referring particularly to Fig; 6 the support plate 31 comprises a casting or stampin which is formed with a platform 39 from which depends a pair of slotted parallel channel members 49, 40. These channel members are each provided with two pairs of aligned openings 41-43. Also, the upper platform por tion 39 is provided with two spaced parallel grooves 42 and 43, It will be particularly observed from Figs. 3 and 5 that the two support plates 31 and 38 are adapted to be placed one upon the other so that the channel members 40, of one will be suitably received within the corresponding grooves 42 and 43 of the adjacent member. For rigidly securing these two support plates together there is provided a flanged sleeve 44 which is slidingly mounted within aligned apertures 45, 45 of the two plates and upon the rod H in a manner best disclosed in Fig. l. The lower portion of the sleeve 44 is provided with a flange 26 while its upper portion is threaded as at 41. As may be observed in'Fig. 4, the two support plates may be rigidly secured together byv means of the sleeve 44 and a nut 48 which may be received over the threaded endportion,

of the sleeve. 7

The two plates 3'!v and 38 function as a supporting means for the above noted dress-form supporting, arms. More specifically, the lower plate member 31 carries the arms 3| and 32 while the upper plate member 38 carries the arms33 andfi l. Referrin particularly to Figs. 3, 5 and 6 it is to be noted that each of thearms is slidingly received within a pair of aligned openings 49. The inner portion of each of the four arms is provided with a row of ratchet teeth 49. Furthermore, each of the arms at its inner end is shaped in cross section in a rectangular manner so as to be slidingly received within its associated aligned openings the side walls of which will prevent the arms from rotating relative to the support plates. i

Referring particularly to Figs; 3 and 6 ther is mounted in each of the slotted channel members of each support plate a lever memberSfl. More specifically, each of the lever members 58, 50 is pivotally secured at its upper end portion within its associated slot by means of a cross pin 5| which is mounted within suitable apertures 5!" provided in the side walls of the slotted channels. It is to be particularly noted that each'of the lever members is formed as an inverted L in a manner such that its upper limb will normally overhang one of the two arms carried by its associated plate member. More specifically, the upper limb of each of the levers 56 will engage the teeth of its associated arm in a manner such that the arm will be prevented from moving inwardly However, whenever the lever is swung upwardly about its associated pivt pin it will disengage the teeth so as to permit the arm to be moved inwardly and away from the dress-form. Quite obviously, however, these levers will not prevent the movement of the arms in an outward direction and. thus; an

operator may readily grasp each of the arms and pull outwardly until its fender member 38 engages the inner lower portion of the dress-form. A stop pin 52 is provided on each arm so as to strike one of the channel members'and thuslim it the outward movement of the arm.

As hereinabove noted, the four dress-form engaging arms, together with their supporting plates, are slidingly mounted upon the rod I! so as to enable the operator properly to bring the arms into suitable engagement with the lower portion of the dress-form. T-he presenti=,-invention contemplates the provision of a clamping means for releasably locking-the arms and the support plates in any desired position of adjustment relative to the rod i'l.

This clamping means comprises asheet metal membergenerally C-shaped in vertical section and having lower and upper horizontal platform portions 52 and 53 and an intermediate connecting portion 53 substantially U-shaped in cross section. The portions 52 and 53 are apertured so as to be slidingly received about the rod 11. Referring particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 it is to be observed that the upper portion 53 of this clamping means is disposed between the flange 46 on the sleeve 44 and the lower plate member 31 so as to include the clamp body as an integral part of the arm-supporting means. Furthermore, one of the, lever-carrying support pins 5! passes through the upper portion of the clamp body so as to'secure the clamp to the lower plate 3'! at all times.

The clamp body with its accompanying arm'- supporting plates are normally held against vertical adjustment by a pair of clamping levers 55 and 55 apertured as at 56 to receive the rod i? and having their ends 5'! projecting through and fulcrumed in slots in portion 53 of the clamp member. These clamp arms 55 and 55 may be secured to the clamp. member proper by means of a cotter. pin 58 which passes through suitable apertures provided in the distal end portions of the clamparms. The arms and 55' are normally biasedaway from each other by means of a coil spring 59 located therebetween and surrounding the rod l1. Thus, the walls" of the apertures 56 are normally caused to impinge upon the, rod I 1 and prevent vertical movement of the arm-carrying means relative to the rod l1. By pressing the levers 55 and 55' together, in'opposition to the spring .59, the levers are caused to free .the clamp member which, together with the arm-supporting means, may then be adjusted Vertically of the rod l7.

. Fromthe above, it will be readily appreciated that my improved arm-carrying means, along with its associated clamp, permits an operator properly to adjust and support the lower portion of the dress-form with great facility. For example, after the dress-form has been properly disposed over the neck-frame I 2 so as to be supportedthereby, she may then adjust the, armcarrying means vertically relative to the rod I! so that the arms will be dis osed within the'oonfines of the lower skirt portion of the dress-form. Thereafter she may look the arm-carrying means in its proper position and then quickly pull each of thearms outwardly until its fender member 36 engages the inner portion of the dress-form. By man pulatin the individual lever arms '50 the operator is free to adjust the arms so that the lateral position of the lower portion of the dress-' form will be correct.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is: s

1. In a stand for dress-forms and the like hav ing a base, and a vertically disposed standard rising from said base; the combination therewith of a, rigid neck-frame supported for universal movementon the upper end of said standard and adapted to fit into the neck portion of a dress form, saidneck-frame having substantially the form of a truncated cone which has been slabbed along a planeextending from a point tangential to the small upper circular portion thereof to a line defining a chord of the large lower circular portion thereof so as to facilitate the passage about said neck-frame of a hollow dress-form with a waist portion in the shape of an ellipse having major and minor axes which are respectively of greater andless length than the diameter of the lower circular portionof'saidtruncated cone.

2. In a stand for dress-form and the like having a base, and a vertically disposed standard rising fromsaid base; the combination therewith of a rigid neck-frame supported for universal movement on the upper end of said standard and adapted to fit into the neck portion of a dressform, said neck-frame comprising an upper circular wire loop, a lower wire loop spaced in parallel relation with and axially of said upper loop, said lower loop being substantially D-shaped with its curved limb formed as an arc of a circle whose diameter is substantially greater in length than that of saidupper loop, and a plurality of wires connecting said upper and lower loops.

3. In a stand for dress-forms and the like having a base, and a vertically disposed standard rising from said base; the combination therewith of a rigid neck-frame supported for universal movement on the upper end of said standardand adapted to fit into the neck portion of adressform, said neck-frame comprising an upper circular wire loop, a lower wire loop spaced in parallel relation with and axially of said upper loop, said lower loop being substantially D-shaped with its curved limb formed as an arc of a circle whose diameter is substantially greater in length than I thatof said upper loop, said are including at least 180 of a circle, an intermediate Wire loop disposed between and in parallel relation with said upper and lower loops, said intermediate loop being of a shape similar to that of said lower loop but of sufiicient dimensions to define with said upper and lower loops a frame having the shape of'a truncated cone which has been slabbed alon a plane extending from a point tangential to the small upper circular portion thereof to a line defining a chord of the large lower circular portion thereof, and a plurality of wires connecting said upper, intermediate and lower loops.

4. In a stand for dress-forms and the like having a base, a standard, and means on the standard for supporting a hollow dress-form; the combination therewith of means carried by the stand ard and engaging the inner face of the lower relative to said support, said last mentioned.

means including a plurality of lever arms each pivotally mounted upon said support in operative relation with a respective one of said arms.

5. In a stand for dressforms and the like having 'a base, a standard, and means on the standard for supporting a hollow dress-form; the combination therewith of means carried by the'standard and engaging the inner face of the lower portion of the dress-form to hold the dress-form against lateral movement relative to the standard, said means comprising a support 'mounted directly upon said standard, a plurality of transversely arranged and lengthwise adjustable arms each slidingly mounted upon said support, each of said arms being provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth, and means for individually locking each of said arms in selective positions of lengthwise adjustment relative to said support, said last mentioned means including a plurality of pawls each pivotally mounted upon said support in operative relation with the ratchet teeth of a respective one of said arms.

6. In a stand for dress-forms, and the like having a base, a standard, and means on the standard for supporting a hollow dress-form; the combination therewith of means carried by the standard and engaging the inner face of the lower portion of the dress-form to hold the dress-form against lateral movement relative to the standard, said means comprising, a pair of support plates mounted directly upon said standard, a pair of oppositely extending arms slidingly mounted upon each of said support plates with the arms of one pair disposed at right angles to the arms of the other pair, each of said arms being provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth, and means for individually locking each of said arms in selective positions of lengthwise adjustment relative to its associated support plate, said last mentioned "means including a plurality of pawls each pivotally mounted upon one of said support plates in operativerelation with the ratchet teeth of a respective one of said arms.

" 7. In a stand for dress-forms and the like having a base, a standard, and means on the standard for supporting a hollow dress-form; the combination therewith of means carried by'the standard and engaging the inner face of the lower portion of the dress-form to hold the dressform against lateral movement relative to the standard, said means comprising a first support plate carried by said standard and hav ing a pair of laterally spaced parallel apertures therein, a second support plate having a pair of laterally spaced parallel apertures therein and secured to said first support plate so that the apertures of one plate are disposed with their axes at right angles to those of the, other plate, a plurality of arms each slidingly mounted. lengthwise of itself within a respective one of said apertures, and means for individually locking each of said arms in selective positions of lengthwise adjustment, said means including a plurality of lever arms each pivotally mounted upon one of said plates in operative relation with a respective one of said arms.

8. In a stand for dress-forms and the like having a base, a standard, and means on the standard for supporting a' hollow dress-form; the combination therewith of means carried by the standard and engaging the inner face of the lower portion of the dress-form to hold the dress-form against lateral movement relative to the standard, said means comprising a first support plate carried by said standard and having a pair of laterally spaced parallel apertures therein, a

second support plate having a pair of laterally spaced parallel apertures therein and secured to said first support plate so that the apertures of one plate are disposed with their axis at right angles to those of the other plate, a plurality of arms each slidingly mounted lengthwise of itself within a respective one of said. apertures, each of said arms being provided with a row of ratchet teeth, and means for individually locking each of said arms in selective positions of lengthwise adjustment relative to said support plates, said means including a plurality of pawls in the form of lever arms of whicheach is pivotally mounted upon one of said plates in operative relation with the ratchet teeth of a respective one of said arms.

9. In a stand for dress-forms and the like having a base, a standard, and means on the standard for supporting a hollow dress-form; the combination therewith of means carried by the standard and engaging the inner face of the lower portion of the dress-form to hold the dress-form against lateral movement relative to the standard, said means comprising a support mounted upon said standard, a plurality of transversely arranged and lengthwise adjustable arms each slidingly mounted upon said support, and releasable locking means individually securing each of said arms against lengthwise sliding motion in' one direction relative to said support and freely permitting such sliding motion in the opposite direction.

10. In a stand for dress-forms and the like "having a base, a standard, and means on the standard for supporting a hollow dress-form, the combination therewith of means carried by the standard and engaging the inner face of the lower portion of the dress-form to hold the dressform against lateral movement relative to the standard, said means comprising a pair of support plates having channel portions ofiset from the planes of the plates and being provided with apertures through said channel portions substantially parallel to the respective plate, said plates being secured to said standard and to each other so that the axes of the apertures in the one plate are angularly spaced with respect to the axes of the apertures of the other plate, arms slidably mounted for lengthwise adjustment in respective ones of said apertures, and means for individually locking each of said arms in selected positions of lengthwise adjustment.

RALPH F. PALMER.

0 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Ray et a1 June 2, 1942 Thomas Mar. 9,1943 Palmer May 15, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date GreatBritain Sept. 2, 1905 

